Variable-speed counter-shaft mechanism.



No. 818,450. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906. J. E. HUNTER.

VARIABLE SPEED COUNTER SHAFT MEGHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. z3, 1905.

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No. 818,450. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

' J.. E. HUNTER.

VARIABLE SPEED COUNTER SHAFT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. za. 1906.

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No. 818,450. PATENTED APR. Z4, 1906. J. E. HUNTER. VARIABLE SPEEDCOUNTER SHAFT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23.1905.

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ogorneo JAMES E. HUNTER, OF NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

VARIABLE-SPEED COUNTER-SHAFT NIECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed August 23.1905. Serial No. 275,341.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs E. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at North Adams, in the county of Berkshire, State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inVariable Speed CounterShaft Mechanisms, of which the fol lowing is a secification, reference being had therein to t e accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to counter shaft mechanism of the type embodyingexpanding pulleys and means for increasing or decreasing at will theeffective diameters of such pulleys, and thereby adjusting the rate ofspeed that is transmitted.

The objects of the invention are in general to dispense with the use oflong operatinglevers which heretofore have been employed in mechanismsof the said type and to pro vide efficient mechanism of novel andimproved construction having the parts thereof arranged more compactlyand conveniently than in prior mechanisms of such type.

The invention will be explained with the aid of the drawings, inwhich-Figure 1 is a side elevation of counter-shaft mechanism containing anembodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the mechanism that isshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partly-sectional detail view with portionsbroken away, showing, on an enlarged scale, the screwthreaded adjusting-rods and the means for actuating the same. Figs. 4 and 5 are edge andplan views, respectively, on an enlarged scale, of one of thetransmitting levers. Figs. 6 and 7 are plan and edge views,respectively, also on an enlarged scale, of one of the lever-stands.Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are views of one of the nuts, also on an enlargedscale. Figs. 11, 12, and 18 are views of one of the thrust-collars, alsoon an enlarged scale.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the working parts are shown supported by a framecomprising opposite side frames 1 1 and girths 2, the said girthconnecting the side frames with each other. At 3 4 are parallel shaftswhich extend transversely with respect to the said side frames and aremounted in bearings 5 5, that are carried by the side frames. One ofthese shafts, as 3, has thereon a loose bandpulley, as 6, to receive adriving-band (not shown) from another pulley on a suitable line-shaft.1n order to enable the said shaft 3 to be driven, a suitable clutch, as7, having in connection therewith in practice a suitable shipper device,(not shown,) is provided in connection with the bandpulley 6. By meansof the said clutch driving relations between the pulley and shaft may beestablished and disestablished when required. The other shaft 4 isprovided with a bandpulley, as 8, fixed thereon to receive adriving-band (not shown) for the transmission of power to the machinerywhich is to be driven. Upon each of the shafts 3 4 is mountedanexpandingpulley, that applied to the shaft 3 being designated 9 andthat applied to the shaft 4 being designated 10.

A well-known construction of expanding pulley is shown in the drawings,(see more particularly Fig. 2,) it comprising two coneshaped membersordisks, which respectively are sleeved upon the corresponding shaft withthe tapering portion of one of the said members or disks facing that ofthe other thereof, so as to produce a V-shaped opening or groove betweenthe two members or disks. The said shaft is furnished with alongitudinally-extending feather or spline, as'92 in the case of shaft 3and 102 in the case of shaft 4, which causes the said members or' disksto turn in unison with the shaft, while leaving them free to be slidupon the shaft in the direction of the length of the latter. T usuallyemploy expanding pulleys in which the portions thereof which cometogether are respectively formed with alternating tongues or projectionsand slots extending in the direction of the length of the shaft, thetongues or projections of one member or disk entering the slots betweenthe tongues of the other member or disk, and vice versa, althoughl thisis not a feature of the invention. At 11 is an endless band passingaround the two expanding pulleys and working in the grooves thereof, thesaid band serving for the transmission of motion from the shaft 3 to theshaft 4. The said band is of the wellknown construction in use at thepresent time, embodying one or more continuous thicknesses of leather orother suitable material, forming the body portion thereof, and blocks ofleather or the like at the inner side of the said body portion, whichare separated from each other by short intervals or spaces to facilitatethe bending of the band in passing around the expanding pulleys, theband being made tapered in cross-section to fit the grooves of the saidpulleys by having the opposite edges thereof beveled or inclined towardeach other. The effective di- IOO IIO

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ameter of each of lthe expanding pulleys -is adjusted and varied bycausing relative movement of the members or disks of a pulley withrespect to each other in the direction ofthe length of thesupporting-shaft for such pulley, so that the band shall ride uponportions of the tapering faces of the said members or disks which are ofgreater or less diameter, as the case may be. By relative movement ofthe two members of a pulley toward each other the effective diameter ofsuch pulley is increased, as will be well understood, and by moving themapart from each other the effective diameter is decreased.

The expanding mechanism for the pulleys 9 10 comprises an adjustingdevice or devices, located intermediately with respect to the two shafts3 4, and short motion-transmitting members consisting of movable arms orlevers, which extend in opposite directions from the adjusting device ordevices and are operatively connected with the pulleys to act to expandor reduce, as the case may be, the effective or working diameters of thesaid pulleys when the motion-transmitting memybers are moved by theadjusting device or devices.

The expanding mechanism of the construction which is represented inFigs. 1 and 2 is constructed of adjusting-rods1213, which extendcrosswise of vthe frame .and are supported'by the side frames, andtransmittinglevers 14 14 and 15 15, which are operatively engaged withthe said rods and alsowith the members or disks of the expandingpulleys. For the support of the transmitting-levers lever-stands 141 141151 151 are securedto the side frames between the adjusting-rods 12 13and the shafts 3 4, each transmittinglever being pivotally mounted inconnection with one of the said lever-stands. For the purpose ofenabling the levers to be actuated by means of the rods each rod isscrew-threaded, it being formed with a right-hand thread along oneportion of its length and with 1a left-hand thread along another portionthereof and is arranged to be rotated in the bearings in which it issupported on the side frames. To the respective screw-threaded portionsof each rod nuts are fitted, as at 121 121 in the case of the rod 12 and131 131 in the case ofthe rod 13, there being one nut for each of thetransmitting-levers. To provide for engagement of a transmitting-leverland the corresponding nut with each other, the inner arm of eachtransmitting-lever is forked, and the body of the corresponding nut isreceived between the opposite members 149 149, Figs. 4 and 5, of thefork, the nut having lateral projections 122 122, Figs. 8, 9,*and 10,which take against the edges of such members at the side of the leverwhich is turned toward the middle of the width of the -mechanism. Forthe purpose of enabling the members or disks of the expanding pulleys tobe actuated by means of the transmittinglevers a thrust-collar 16, Figs.2, 11, 12, and 13, is mounted at the outer end of the sleeve or hub ofeach of the said members or disks upon the corresponding shaft, washers161 being introduced between each sleeve or hub and the correspondingthrust-collar to reduce the friction and take the wear, and the outerend 142, Figs. 4 and 5, of the corresponding transmitting-lever isforked and embraces the body of the thrust-collar, the saidthrust-collar being formed with radiallyprojecting shoulders 162 162,Figs. 11, 12, and 13, which are engaged by the edges of the members ofthe fork which are turned toward the middle f the mechanism. Turningmovement of a screw-threaded rod in the direction to cause the nutswhich are mounted upon such'rod to move away from each other toward theopposite ends of the rod will cause the nuts 121 121 to press outwardlyagainst the inner ends of the transmitting-levers. Thereby the saidlevers will be turned so as to cause the outer ends of the same to actthrough the thrust-collars 16 16 to move the members or disks of thecorresponding pulley toward each other, so as to increase or expand theeffective diameter of the pulley. Turning movement of the rod in theopposite direction operating to cause the nuts to move toward each otherwill permit the transmitting-levers to turn under the influence of thepressure that is transmitted to them through the thrust-collars from themembers of the pulley, in consequence of the tendency of the band 11 toseparate the said members by wedging itself toward the bottom lof theband-groove. The adj usting-rods are operated by means of a chain-wheel17 upon the rod 12, a chain 18, which passes around the said chain-wheeland hangs down in position to be taken hold of by hand conveniently, andspur-pinions 19 20, meshing with each other, the first of which ismounted upon rod 12 and the other upon rod 13. A feather 171, with whichthe rod 12 is provided, compels the chain-wheel Aand the said rod toturn together, while permitting the chain-wheel to be shifted along therod. A clamping-screw 172, Figs. 2 and 3, with which the chain-wheel isprovided,

kenables the chain-wheel to be secured at the @chain-wheel and rod `12are, turned, and `through its engagementwith the pinion 20,

which is fixed to the rod 13 by a key 201, Fig.

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3, the latter rod is caused to turn in unison with rod 12. By theturning or rotation of the two rods 12 and 13 in unison the respectivepulleys 9 10 are changed simultaneously in their effective or workingdiameters. The threads upon both of the rods 12 13 are cut alike 3 butthe gearing 19 20 operates to cause the rod 13 to turn oppositelywithrespect to the rod 12, from which it results that as one pulley isexpanded the other is contracted in effective or working diameter, andvice versa. When it is desired to take up slack of the band 1 1, due towear, or otherwise regulate the tension of the band from time to timeduring use, the actuating devices for the adjusting-rods 12 13 may bedisconnected temporarily between such rods by loosening theclampingscrew 172 and moving the chain-wheel 17 outward along the rod 12until the clutching projections or teeth of the said chain-wheel havebeen withdrawn from engagement with the similar teeth of the pinion 19.rIhis unclutching having been effected, the adjusting devices of thepulley 9 may be operated separately, by means of the chain 18, toindependently vary the effective or working diameter of the said pulley,after which by moving the chain-wheelinto clutch engagement with thepinion 19 again the mechanism may be restored to its former workingcondition.

In the foregoing mechanism both members or disks of each expandingpulley are movable upon the shaft of such pulley toward and from eachother in the direction of the length of the said shaft. The constructionis particularly well adapted for a large-size mechanism suitable for thetransmission of considerable power. The construction may be simplifiedin some cases through the use of expanding pulleys each having one fixedmember or disk; and one relatively movable member or disk, with anaccompanying reduction in the number of transmitting arms or membersfrom four to two, and, if desired, by employing a single adjusting-rod.The levers 14 15 may be replaced by simple movable arms in someinstances.

What is claimed as the invention is- 1. In a speed-varying counter-shaftmechanism, the combination with a set of expanding pulleys, and a bandconnecting the same,

of adjusting means located intermediatelywith respect to the saidpulleys, and separately-movable short arms or levers extending inopposite directions with respect to each other from the said adjustingmeans to the respective pulleys and operatively connected with the saidpulleys to expand and contract the latter.

2. In a speed-varying counter-shaft mechanism, the combination with aset of expanding pulleys, and a band connecting the same, ofscrew-threaded adjusting means located intermediately with respect tothe said pulleys, and separately-movable short pulleyexpanding membersoperated by the said screw-threaded adjusting means and extending inopposite directions with respect to each other from the latter to therespective pulleys.

3. In a speed-varying counter-shaft mechanism, the combination with aset of expanding pulleys, and a band connecting the same, ofspeed-regulating means located intermediately with respect to the saidpulleys,pulleyexpanding members extending in opposite directions fromthe said means to the respective pulleys, and means for adjustment ofthe pulleys to regulate the tension of the band.

4. In a speed-varying counter-shaft mechanism, the combination with aset of expanding pulleys, and a band connecting the same, of the shortarms or levers in operative connection with the said pulleys,adjusting-rods for the said arms or levers, means to adjust the saidrods in unison, and means to adjust said rods independently.

5. In a speed-varying counter-shaft mechanism, the combination with aset of expanding pulleys, and a band connecting the same, of the shortarms or levers in o erative connection with the said pulleys, tlieadjustingrods for the said arms or levers, and means to rotate the saidrods in unison, provided with a clutch permitting adjustment of the rodsindependently.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. HUNTER.

I/Vitnesses:

GEO, C. HADLEY, W. I-I, MCNEILLY.

